


Surviving the Storm

by CelticLady



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Brooding Killian, Captain Swan - Freeform, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Forbidden Love, Liam References, Lieutenant Duckling, Lieutenant Killian Jones, Love Triangle, More Captain Swan than SwanFire, Mystery, Passionate, Princess Emma Swan, Some Swanfire (but not a lot), Suspense, dalliance, trysts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-08
Updated: 2017-10-11
Packaged: 2018-04-03 10:23:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4097389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelticLady/pseuds/CelticLady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU: A mystical storm deposits a wrecked Jewel of the Realm into Misthaven. Survivor Killian Jones has been thrown into a strange land, forced to deal with the death of his brother and struggling with his own brand of darkness. There is, however, light and hope in that darkness in the form of the beautiful yet unattainable Princess Emma, who's engaged to Prince Baelfire. But can Killian really rebuild his life through revenge or forbidden love?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lost Between Realms

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of these characters. 
> 
> This is also my first fan-fiction, so please be gentle! I may continue this in chapters with glimpses of the progression of events if there is enough interest. There will be darker tones (nothing too over the top but you've been warned) as my storytelling tends to be a bit on the... quirky side. Please feel free to leave a comment. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!

It had been four weeks. Four weeks full of questions but he knew answers would never come.

 

Reality sunk in every morning when the sun filtered through the window, casting bright streams of light over his eyes. All he could do was move his forearm over his face to drown it out, hoping that simple movement would have the same effect on his sorrows.

 

It was not an easy thing for Killian Jones to learn to trust nobility after what happened. A corrupt king, sending the ship he was stationed on off to a secret mission and have it all end in disaster. When his brother, Liam, died in his arms on the voyage home, pain and rage coursed through his body as another storm of the mystical kind raged around the ship in between realms.

 

It was a storm that even the mighty Jewel could not escape.

 

What else could he do, though? This land that he found himself in was not of his birth. He had to learn to trust the people here in order to survive. He felt vulnerable, relying on their kindness, their food and shelter.

 

After all, he had nothing left.

 

That magical storm had swept what was left of the Jewel and dumped him and the remaining crew into this strange land. The Jewel had been seriously damaged, washed ashore near a castle in Misthaven. The storm that evening had pulled many sea creatures from the depths of the ocean, their bodies left upturned lifelessly on the sands. It was quite the sight, something the native people personally hadn't seen but apparently heard legends of. It was bothersome, a omen of sorts, and something the folks in the castle still talked about. The king and queen had been nothing but kind and welcoming to him and the other men, though, after being saved from the wreckage.

 

King Charming and Queen Snow were genuine enough.

 

Even if the nobility treated him and his comrades with sensitivity and hospitality, some of the town folk watched them with skeptical eyes, as if they heralded awful things to come. He often wondered if they blamed them for the storm and suspected that they were the harbingers of a supposed darkness that was to come. What he had heard of their legends did not seem promising.

 

The thought left him cold and feeling even more isolated in a foreign land, where he was reminded that he had no family or kind king that would scour the realms, wanting to guarantee their safety.

 

He felt empty inside.

 

As he sat at the edge of his bed, examining his hands, he knew that the nobles would be expecting him downstairs soon. Him and the crew of the Jewel had fallen into a habit of castle routines. Breakfast, reading time in the library. The remaining crew were even granted accesses to other treasures, like horse-back riding to alleviate post-traumatic stress.

 

King Charming even assured him that Misthaven would restore the Jewel back to her original state. To worry about nothing, desiring nothing in return.

 

It almost seemed too good to be true.

 

And what then? Where would he and his men go once the Jewel was restored? Jump back to his realm? A darkness crept into his mind, of piracy and revenge against a king who killed his brother, but he did not dare speak the thoughts that danced in his head for fear that he would only solidify the fear of the townsfolk who placed blind faith in superstition and legends.

 

He was quiet on his way down to dinner, taking his seat wordlessly and pausing only slightly when catching a glimpse of the golden-haired princess with moss-green eyes. His breath hitched before averting his gaze. Her sweet laughter permeated the room, carrying over to his ears and warming his unfeeling heart. He had never seen a lovelier creature. He remembered her tending to his wounds upon his arrival, a mixture of strength and gentleness in her bedside manner...

 

_"Lieutenant Jones," her voice exuded calm as her fingers moved gently over the gash on his bruised forearm. "Nothing seems to be broken, but we need to clean this so to avoid infection."_

_Her voice was like honey and he watched her as she bent her head, reaching to one of the maids as they handed her a sterilized rag. Princess Emma's curled hair had been pulled back into a loose-setting ponytail, but a few strands escaped and fell forward during her ministrations._

_His fingers flexed as he rode through the pain. His head fell back onto the soft pillow, jaw clenching as he listened to her sweet words of encouragement and reassurance._

_She soothed him and told him that everything would be fine. That he and the crew of the Jewel would find their way back home. That Misthaven would exhaust all avenues to make that happen for them._

_That he wasn't alone in all of this._

He remembered being in awe that the princess, of all people, had been prominent in his post-accident care. Princess Emma had been one to breathe some life, some feeling back to him after the tragedy.

 

He had never been love before but with her the feelings came quickly and they came hard.

 

Any fanciful notions were halted when he learned that she was betrothed to a Prince Baelfire from a neighboring kingdom. She appeared to be deeply in love with the Prince, who Killian witnessed doting on her during one of his visits a week ago. He realized there was a twinge of jealously, and wanted so desperately to purge that feeling, but there wasn't anything he could do. He would never be so bold and would never act on impulse. He was too much a gentleman and he didn't want to be the invasive species in this new ecosystem.

 

But, as he watched her now, a hand raised to her neck as she laughed at something her father, King David, had said, Killian allowed those fanciful notions to take dominance once again over his thoughts.

 

It was better to have some feeling, some hope in that things could be alright again, than falling into darkness and thoughts of piracy.

 

Love was sweeter and felt better than revenge.

 

And it was the only thing he had to hold on to in this moment.


	2. Uncharted Waters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU: A mystical storm deposits a wrecked Jewel of the Realm into Misthaven. Survivor Killian Jones has been thrown into a strange land, forced to deal with the death of his brother and struggling with his own brand of darkness. There is, however, light and hope in that darkness in the form of the beautiful yet unattainable Princess Emma, who's engaged to Prince Baelfire. But can Killian really rebuild his life through revenge or forbidden love?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of these characters. 
> 
> This is also my first fan-fiction, so please be gentle! I may continue this in chapters with glimpses of the progression of events if there is enough interest. There will be darker tones (nothing too over the top but you've been warned) as my storytelling tends to be a bit on the... quirky side. Please feel free to leave a comment. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!

Another week passed by. 

Then another, followed by yet another.

Before long, an additional month has passed and Killian has started to accept some normalcy in this temporary life in Misthaven. He fell into a comfortable routine consisting of leisurely things, like fencing with the princess (a time that he thoroughly enjoyed), and assisting King David with some potential ship specs for his kingdom. Killian had convinced him that a naval unit was imperative to complement and complete any kingdom. It was the least he could do, to share his knowledge with the good king that helped the crew of the Jewel.

He didn't have the knowledge of the waters of this realm, but manning a ship, well, there wasn't much difference in that.

The Jewel's repairs were coming along, albeit slowly. Killian viewed it somewhat as a reprieve, as if the continuing task delayed the inevitable. 

What would he and the crew of the Jewel do once she was in ship-shape? The fair Queen mentioned something about a "magic bean" that would allow them passage home, as the Pegasus sails had been destroyed, their magic negated. Or they had a choice to venture to a legendary lake that held restorative properties that may or may not allow their ship to fly again.

Honestly, he dreaded when that time came.

What would he do once he returned to his realm? Avenge his brother's death and take to the high seas as a dastardly pirate? Pillage and plunder and to look after himself as he no one to look after him. 

But something unexpected happened. 

His desire for revenge waned as his love for another grew. A love that he did not dare whisper about, for fear that it would upset the natural order in this time, this realm he found himself in. It was a powerful thing, being enamored by a princess who had allowed him to see life with different eyes. She helped restore his health, wishing nothing in return, and even engaged him in conversation to pass the time.

He thought that she enjoyed her time with him as well, as they were spending more of it together since her Prince had been called away, delaying her impending nuptials. Apparently another magical storm had broken out near his kingdom and he was providing relief for his people.

It was the second disaster in the two months he had been here. Talk ran rampant in the town, though the royals tried to assuage their fears. 

Legends were nothing more but legends anyway.

Killian paid no mind to the latest storm, though. He actually found it as a sort of blessing, as it granted him more time with a certain beautiful princess.

After a rather vigorous fencing lesson with her, the pair found themselves sitting on the wind-swept beach behind the castle, their gaze intent on the horizon. A companionable silence fell between them and it was Killian's voice that cut through it first.

"I've often found it calming. The horizon." Peeling his intense blue eyes away from the shimmering water, he glanced over to the princess as she smiled softly. Her hair moved gently with the breeze that came off the water. 

"It is. Very. But so is fencing to some degree."

She turned slightly to face him and he chuckled as he scratched the back of his neck. 

"Aye, very true, Princess. But there is a difference between an adrenaline rush and allowing oneself to stop everything, pause and breath and simply... be."

"You can call me Emma you know."

He raised his dark eyebrows in surprise.

"Your highness, I--," he started but was stopped by the look of warning she gave him. 

"I think we have an understanding, Killian. There's an ease between us, like we've been friends for some time."

Her voice was soft and sincere, her bright eyes expressive.

Killian nodded his head, a smile creeping across his lips, and ran a hand through his unruly dark hair. He didn't know what to quite say. A part of him was a bit hurt that she considered him a friend, as if that was all they could ever be, but another cherished it because it signified that their time together had indeed brought them closer.

But what was he really expecting?

"I hope your prince isn't the jealous type, then. To have male friends such as a myself," he smirked and Emma just rolled her eyes.

"He's too concerned about what his father might do next to--," she began but waved her hand, laughing it off. Killian looked on, bemused, but she only sighed.

"Bae is busy. I'm busy. It's the life we live," Emma continued, returning her gaze to the horizon. 

Killian didn't know how to take this or how to quite respond. His original comment was meant jokingly, but there was some seriousness behind it. A part of him was feeling out how deep her feelings for the prince ran but it didn't seem as if she wanted to divulge in that piece of her life. He wondered how much of their life was just for show, what was real and what was obligation. 

A silence lingered between them before he reached out and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"I imagine the life of royal isn't ever easy. The responsibility. The sacrifices."

Emma turned back to him with a weak smile on her beautiful face, nodding quietly. It almost crushed him instantly to see her like this. Even if she didn't say what was on her mind, it was quite evident in her reaction that everything wasn't peachy in her life. 

Before he could say anything, she chimed in softly, "Everyone make sacrifices. Sometimes other things takes precedence over ourselves."

Watching her like this, so sad and vulnerable yet so breathtakingly beautiful in the light of the setting sun, he wanted to raise his hand and tenderly cup her cheek. To comfort her. He wanted to kiss away any problem that cursed her life. 

But it was not his place. She was not his to console in that way. 

What would a friend do?

"Aye, you're right. Myself included. That's why I'm here, so far from home," he breathed, having to look away for a moment.

"Do you have anyone waiting for you? At your kingdom, I mean. A wife? Children? I know you said your brother--," she paused, realizing that she may have said the wrong thing. Killian offered her smile to indicate it was okay.

"No, your high-- I mean Emma. My brother was my only family. Once the Jewel is restored, I simply go back to a life of service."

"Of service? That's all? You don't have anyone? No one at all?" she asked as sympathy crossed her delicate features.

Killian shook his head in the negative.

"Aye. If I'm being completely honest, this has been quite the holiday for me. Fencing with a princess and indulging in exotic fare has been quite relaxing and entertaining."

Her features brightened as she smiled, half-giggling as she tilted her head to the side to get a better view of him. Long strands of blonde hair cascaded over her legs.

"Holiday? I don't think I've heard that word before," she said.

"I'm not surprised. I don't believe you royal types have much time for anything that resembles holiday, considering all the balls and such," he teased.

She laughed again, running a hand through her hair.

They continued to sit on that beach and talked until dark, neither of them really wanting to separate from the other when the time came.

Killian escorted the Princess of Misthaven back to the castle, both brushing sand off their clothes. Before they parted, he thought he caught a glimpse of something along the lines of secret desire in her eyes when he gently kissed the back of her hand, bidding her goodnight as a gentleman would do.

When he retired to his room after, he wanted nothing more than to crash his mouth over hers. He pressed a hand against the wall and leaned forward, envisioning how it would be. To kiss her, to hold her. To take away the sadness that he saw in her earlier in the evening. He wanted to press his body against hers, to feel the warmth generate between them, allowing it to saturate their hearts.

That thought and hope quickly deflated, though.

He couldn't. That territory... it was uncharted waters. Dark waters. 

But a man was blind when he had no compass, only forbidden love to guide him. And sometimes that was all he needed to explore such a territory.


	3. The Changing Tides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU: A mystical storm deposits a wrecked Jewel of the Realm into Misthaven. Survivor Killian Jones has been thrown into a strange land, forced to deal with the death of his brother and struggling with his own brand of darkness. There is, however, light and hope in that darkness in the form of the beautiful yet unattainable Princess Emma, who's engaged to Prince Baelfire. But can Killian really rebuild his life through revenge or forbidden love?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of these characters. 
> 
> This is also my first fan-fiction, so please be gentle! I may continue this in chapters with glimpses of the progression of events if there is enough interest. There will be darker tones (nothing too over the top but you've been warned) as my storytelling tends to be a bit on the... quirky side. 
> 
> Please do feel free to leave a comment and share your thoughts and leave a kudos if you are inclined! 
> 
> Thank you for reading!

How did one fall out of love?

Desires and fantasies swirled around in Killian’s head and it took everything in him to suppress the feelings that were exploding under the surface. It was a dangerous thing, teetering between the want of love and revenge.

Revenge never had a chance.

But this love was forbidden.

So, was it love that never had a chance?

He was occupied with thoughts of golden-hair and moss-green eyes as he made his way down the hallway. As he rounded a curve, he heard hushed familiar voices. He paused and took a step back, taking concealment behind oversized drapery and the bend of the wall and watched on with a crestfallen expression.

Prince Baelfire.

When had he arrived to the castle?

“Emma,” Baelfire had whispered as he reached out for her hair, twirling it neatly between his thumb and index finger.

Emma responded by inching her way a tad closer but her expression was guarded. She was leaning against the wall with Baelfire hovering over her, his arm perched against the wall above her.

“You can’t imagine all the horrors I’ve seen. The people. The damage. I can’t believe that--,” the prince’s words tapered off as the princess shook her head.

“There have been many incidents.”

Her voice sounded choked. Baelfire responded by placing this back of his hand on her cheek.

“I’ve found father. Well, traces of him. I don’t know if he’s to blame but I’m almost certain that he is,” he paused and searched her eyes. “We’ll find him.”

“I know.” Emma responded softly.

Baelfire leaned in for a kiss, a tender peck on the lips. He pulled back and placed another one, this time on her cheek, then another on the lips again. His gloved hand slithered down her arm. Killian rolled back around and closed his eyes. Thoughts of escape filled his mind. His ship would be ready in a week and he had an out but revenge did not seem as sweet. However, when confronted with the fact of unrequited love, the want for revenge could only be amplified.

Her voice pulled him away from the pain that warped within and around him.

“I have to go.”

Killian’s blue eyes turned back to the scene, blinking fast, his brain wondering why he was causing his heart so much hurt.

“Oh?” Baelfire exclaimed.

“I have promised to show Lieu—err, would it be Captain Jones some of the grounds.”

This made the prince step back a little, his posture taking on a new presence. Killian couldn’t help but feel his face break out into a smile, his heart leaping a bit.

“They’re still here? I thought that the repairs would have been made by now…”

Did he not see the ship outdoors? It was rather prominent.

Killian couldn’t bear to listen to more. If the princess intended to keep their arrangement, then he would find another way to get to the appointed location of their predetermined place to meet. While he wrestled internally with his feelings of the situation, a part of him needed to distance himself.

His brain had won out.

It was through the back hallway that he was able to maneuver through the kitchens and come out around to the outside of the castle. He waited patiently, taking in the eerie blue-gray sky.

It seemed as another storm was in the works and he could feel the tides changing by the breeze coming off the water from behind the castle. It captured an essence of foreboding, of more things to come.

That wasn’t the only change in the air, though.

Before he could explore those thoughts, a soft voice clipped them.

“Hey there. Sorry I'm late,” Emma sighed as she came up beside him, her smile a bit forced. She was visibly preoccupied.

He chose to not notice.

“No worries, princ—Emma. I wasn’t waiting for long. I was just taking in the sky,” he responded, waving his hand upwards to the dark clouds skirting.

As his blue eyes remained upward, trying to distract and alleviate any moods, he sensed the tension only mount.

“Baelfire’s back.”

It came out, short and fast. Killian turned his eyes from the sky and met hers intently, his lips breaking into a slow, tentative smile. She stood close, eyes wide and sparkling (or were they glistening slightly?), her mouth dipping at the corners. 

“Why, that’s great then. I’m sure you have much to catch up on. I don’t want to trouble--,” he began but, before he knew it, her hands were gripping at his lapels and her lips were over his, silencing any words before they were breathed into existence.


	4. Drowning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU: A mystical storm deposits a wrecked Jewel of the Realm into Misthaven. Survivor Killian Jones has been thrown into a strange land, forced to deal with the death of his brother and struggling with his own brand of darkness. There is, however, light and hope in that darkness in the form of the beautiful yet unattainable Princess Emma, who's engaged to Prince Baelfire. But can Killian really rebuild his life through revenge or forbidden love?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of these characters.  
> This is also my first fan-fiction, so please be gentle! I may continue this in chapters with glimpses of the progression of events if there is enough interest. There will be darker tones (nothing too over the top but you've been warned) as my storytelling tends to be a bit on the... quirky side. 
> 
> Please do feel free to leave a comment and share your thoughts and leave a kudos if you are inclined! 
> 
> Thank you for reading!

Killian had never felt this intensely in his life. Even his service in the Royal Navy, for all his pride and hard work, did not compare to the feelings he felt whenever he was around Emma. With that duty, he had purpose. Purpose that had been destroyed, that had been a lie. With Emma, he found a desire that could not be quenched. The way that her slender body felt next to his, the silky softness of her lips, her scent.

Truth be told, it was equal parts intoxicating and terrifying.

He couldn’t keep his head straight. His heart was becoming toxic to his brain.

As he watched her from across the banquet room, he became consumed with the memories of how her body had arched and responded to him, earlier that day when she had first kissed him. They had explored each other’s bodies in the secrecy of the stables. From there, well...

That had led to more. One kiss was all it took for him to lose it.

But Baelfire was here and they had to be careful, and that’s who she was sitting next to during these evening festivities. It was her place, by her suitor, her betrothed. Her prince. Killian had claimed her in the stables multiple times though. In body, he had marked her as his. But, she was dutiful. She was a royal. She ate from the hands of her soon-to-be husband -- a man that was fathered by what the locals called, “The Dark One.” Killian didn’t understand the whole story but he intended to find out more.

_“Killian--,” Emma rubbed his chest as her head rested against the upper expanse of it, her fingers dancing in the dark hair. “—you don’t understand.”_

_He hadn’t pressed her but he couldn’t contain his feelings and he certainly couldn’t pursue a lie._

_“I know. Obligations. You have a responsibility to your kingdom and you love him. You told me on the beach that--,” Killian tested the waters as he regained his breathing. The sound of horses a few feet away snorted as the rain pattered against the roof of the stable._

_“—yes, there’s that. But I don’t really. Love him, I mean.”_

_Killian arched an eyebrow and looked down at her as she gazed up at him._

_“I never did. It was always for show. I had to pretend. An act. If I did not, then these things would get worse.”_

_His brow furrowed, confusion etched across his features. Usually these royal arrangements had some meaning. From what he gathered, Baelfire’s father had gone rogue and the two kingdoms united to fight the good fight, even if that meant family against family. It was all, again, for the protection of the people they were responsible for._

_But Killian didn’t know the specifics. Actually, some of it didn’t add up. And the more that he heard, the more he questioned._

_“What do you mean?”_

_The blonde seemed to struggle with how to proceed. Instead of responding, however, her fingers deftly moved from his chest and down his torso, and down even further. She then moved up to capture any more inquiries with a passionate kiss, moving her body over his. He was helpless. His body responded even when his brain--_

_“Emma, I--”_

_“Shh, I don’t want to talk anymore about him. He can’t ever find out about us. Let’s enjoy what time--,” she kissed him, their bodies moving, “—we have.”_

_He had a right to know, though. That's what he thought. Especially now that his heart had been lost to a princess who was engaged to another man._

Killian stood helplessly brooding in the corner and spied on the two, his blue eyes darkening. He looked incredibly sick, broken, shattered, wrecked, and lost. It showed in his face and in his general appearance. When Baelfire leaned in for a nuzzle and kiss and Emma giggled, bringing the man in for a deeper smooch, Killian groaned and downed what was left of his drink and stormed away. Her previous words ran through is mind but rage coursed through his body.

_“But I don’t really. Love him, I mean. I never did. It was always for show. I had to pretend. An act. If I did not, then these things would get worse.”_

Killian paused in the hallway and closed his eyes.

What had he gotten himself into? Carnal knowledge of a princess in a foreign land? How could he ever leave? His thoughts turned to Liam and he hated everything all over again.

Liam's presence had been an anchor for him. It kept him straight. Since his death, everything went spiraling out of control. He noticed his brother's absence even more that evening. 

What he didn’t notice was Baelfire from the table watching him depart. As Emma turned to chat with her parents, a smirk crossed his face.

A bolt of lightning cracked open the sky and the subsequent thunder sent a deep rumbling through the castle. The day's persistent drizzle turned into an immediate downpour. Baelfire glanced over to Emma, who was searching the room. 

"Should we retire early tonight, my love?" he asked, eyes drifting down to her breasts. 

A look of something indescribable crossed her face. Was it terror? From the storm? Something. She didn't speak, only nodded slowly.

TBD

NOTE and UPCOMING:  
This is definitely a Captain Swan story with suspenseful elements. Killian and Baelfire will have a confrontation in the next chapter.


End file.
